Case Econ08 PPT 01

PART I INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS
Chapter
1
The Scope and Method
of Economics
Prepared by:
Fernando & Yvonn Quijano
2007 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Principles of Economics 8e by Case and Fair
CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

of Economics
PART I INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS
The Scope and Method

of Economics
Chapter Outline
Why Study Economics?
To Learn a Way of Thinking
To Understand Society
To Understand Global Affairs
To Be an Informed Voter
The Scope of Economics
Microeconomics and
Macroeconomics
The Diverse Fields of Economics
The Method of Economics
Theories and Models
Economic Policy
An Invitation
Appendix: How to Read
and Understand Graphs

of Economics
THE SCOPE AND METHOD OF ECONOMICS
economics The study of how

individuals and societies choose to
use the scarce resources that
nature and previous generations
have provided.
Economics is the study of how individuals and societies choose to use the scarce
resources that nature and previous generations have provided. The key word in this
definition is choose. Economics is a behavioral, or social, science. In large measure it is
the study of how people make choices. The choices that people make, when added up,
translate into societal choices.

of Economics
WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

There are four main reasons to study
economics:
to learn a way of thinking,
to understand society,
to understand global affairs, and
to be an informed voter.

of Economics

TO LEARN A WAY OF THINKING
Three fundamental concepts:

Opportunity cost
Marginalism, and
Efficient markets

of Economics

Opportunity Cost
opportunity cost The best

alternative that we forgo, or give
up, when we make a choice or a
decision.
scarce Limited.

of Economics

Marginalism and Sunk Costs
marginalism The process of

analyzing the additional or
incremental costs or benefits
arising from a choice or decision.
sunk costs Costs that cannot
be avoided, regardless of what is
done in the future, because they
have already been incurred.

of Economics

Efficient MarketsNo Free Lunch
efficient market A market

in which profit opportunities are
eliminated almost instantaneously.
The study of economics teaches us a way of thinking and helps us make decisions.

of Economics

TO UNDERSTAND SOCIETY
Industrial Revolution The

period in England during the late
eighteenth and early nineteenth
centuries in which new
manufacturing technologies and
improved transportation gave rise
to the modern factory system and
a massive movement of the
population from the countryside
to the cities.
The study of economics is an essential part of the study of society.

of Economics

TO UNDERSTAND GLOBAL AFFAIRS
The events of September 11,

2001, dealt a blow to the
tourism industry and left
airlines in deep financial
trouble.
An understanding of economics is essential to an understanding of global affairs.


of Economics

TO BE AN INFORMED VOTER
A knowledge of economics is
essential to be an informed voter.
When we participate in the political process, we are voting on issues that require a
basic understanding of economics.

of Economics
THE SCOPE OF ECONOMICS

MICROECONOMICS AND MACROECONOMICS
microeconomics The branch of economics

that examines the functioning of individual
industries and the behavior of individual
decision-making unitsthat is, business firms
and households.
macroeconomics The branch of economics
that examines the economic behavior of
aggregatesincome, employment, output,
and so onon a national scale.
Microeconomics looks at the individual unitthe household, the firm, the industry. It
sees and examines the trees. Macroeconomics looks at the whole, the aggregate. It
sees and analyzes the forest.

of Economics
THE SCOPE OF ECONOMICS

THE DIVERSE FIELDS OF ECONOMICS
TABLE 1.1 Examples of Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Concerns
DIVISION OF
ECONOMICS
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
PRODUCTION
PRICES
INCOME
EMPLOYMENT
Production/output in
individual industries
and businesses
How much steel

How much office
space
How many cars
Price of individual
goods and services
Distribution of
income and
wealth
Employment by
individual
businesses
and industries
Price of medical care

Price of gasoline
Food prices
Apartment rents
Wages in the auto

industry
Minimum wage
Executive salaries
Poverty
National
production/output
Aggregate price level
National income
Jobs in the steel

industry
Number of employees
in a firm
Number of
Employment and
accountants
unemployment in
the economy
Total number of jobs

Total industrial output
Consumer prices
Total wages and
Unemployment rate
Gross domestic
Producer prices
salaries
product
Rate of inflation
Total corporate
Growth
output Publishing Principles of Economics
profits
2007 Prentice
Hallof
Business
8e by Case and Fair

of Economics
THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

positive economics An approach to
economics that seeks to understand
behavior and the operation of systems
without making judgments. It describes
what exists and how it works.
normative economics An approach to
economics that analyzes outcomes of
economic behavior, evaluates them as
good or bad, and may prescribe courses
of action. Also called policy economics.

of Economics

Descriptive Economics and Economic Theory
descriptive economics The

compilation of data that describe
phenomena and facts.
economic theory A statement or set of
related statements about cause and
effect, action and reaction.

of Economics

THEORIES AND MODELS
model A formal statement of a theory,

usually a mathematical statement of a
presumed relationship between two or
more variables.
variable A measure that can change
from time to time or from observation to
observation.

of Economics

Ockhams razor The principle that
irrelevant detail should be cut away.
Maps are useful abstract

representations of reality.

of Economics

All Else Equal: Ceteris Paribus
ceteris paribus, or all else equal A

device used to analyze the relationship
between two variables while the values
of other variables are held unchanged.
Using the device of ceteris paribus is one part of the process of abstraction. In formulating
economic theory, the concept helps us simplify reality to focus on the relationships
that interest us.

of Economics

Expressing Models in Words, Graphs, and
Equations
The most common method of expressing
the quantitative relationship between two
variables is graphing that relationship on
a two-dimensional plane.

of Economics

Cautions and Pitfalls
The Post Hoc Fallacy
post hoc, ergo propter hoc Literally,

after this (in time), therefore because of
this. A common error made in thinking
about causation: If Event A happens
before Event B, it is not necessarily true
that A caused B.

of Economics

The Fallacy of Composition
fallacy of composition The erroneous

belief that what is true for a part is
necessarily true for the whole.

of Economics

Testing Theories and Models: Empirical
Economics
empirical economics The

collection and use of data to test
economic theories.

of Economics

ECONOMIC POLICY
Criteria for judging economic outcomes:

1. Efficiency
2. Equity
3. Growth
4. Stability

of Economics

Efficiency
efficiency In economics,
allocative efficiency. An efficient
economy is one that produces
what people want at the least
possible cost.
Equity
equity Fairness.

of Economics

Growth
economic growth An increase in
the total output of an economy.
Stability
stability A condition in which
national output is growing steadily,
with low inflation and full
employment of resources.

of Economics
AN INVITATION
As you proceed, it is important that you

keep track of what you have learned in
earlier chapters. This book has a plan;
it proceeds step by step, each section
building on the last. It would be a good
idea to read each chapters table of
contents and scan each chapter before
you read it to be sure you understand
where it fits in the big picture.

of Economics
Review Terms and Concepts

ceteris paribus
marginalism
descriptive economics
microeconomics
economic growth
model
economic theory
normative economics
economics
Ockhams razor
efficiency
opportunity cost
efficient market
positive economics
empirical economics
post hoc, ergo propter hoc
equity
scarce
fallacy of composition
stability
Industrial Revolution
sunk costs
macroeconomics
variable

of Economics
Appendix
HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND GRAPHS
A graph is a twodimensional
representation of a
set of numbers, or
data.

of Economics
Appendix
TIME SERIES GRAPH
A time series graph

shows how a single
variable changes over
time.
FIGURE 1A.1 Total Disposable Personal

Income in the United States: 19752005 (in
billions of dollars)

of Economics
Appendix
GRAPHING TWO VARIABLES ON A CARTESIAN
COORDINATE SYSTEM
The Cartesian coordinate
system is the most
common method of
graphing two variables. This
system is constructed by
simply drawing two
perpendicular lines: a
horizontal line, or X-axis,
and a vertical line, or Yaxis. The axes contain
measurement scales that
intersect at 0 (zero). This
point is called the origin.
FIGURE 1A.2 A Cartesian Coordinate System

of Economics
Appendix
PLOTTING INCOME AND CONSUMPTION DATA
FOR HOUSEHOLDS
TABLE 1A.1 Total Disposable Personal Income in the United
States, 19752005 (in billions of dollars)
YEAR
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
TOTAL DISPOSABLE
PERSONAL INCOME
1,181.4
1,299.9
1,436.0
1,614.8
1,808.2
2,019.8
2,247.9
2,406.8
2,586.0
2,887.6
3,086.5
3,262.5
3,459.5
3,752.4
YEAR
TOTAL DISPOSABLE
PERSONAL INCOME
1989
4,016.3
1990
4,293.6
1991
4,474.8
1992
4,754.6
1993
4,935.3
1994
5,165.4
1995
5,422.6
1996
5,677.7
1997
5,968.2
1998
6,355.6
1999
6,627.4
2000
7,120.2
2001
7,393.2
2002
7,827.7
2003
2007 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Principles
of Economics 8e by8,159.9
Case and Fair

of Economics
Appendix
TABLE 1A.2 Consumption Expenditures
and Income, 2003
Bottom fifth
2nd fifth
3rd fifth
4th fifth
Top fifth
AVERAGE
INCOME
BEFORE TAXES
$
8,201
21,478
37,542
61,132
127,146
AVERAGE
CONSUMPTION
EXPENDITURES
$ 18,492
26,729
36,213
50,468
81,731
This line slopes upward, indicating that

there seems to be a positive
relationship between income and
spending.
Points A and B, above the 45 line, show
that consumption can be greater than
income.
FIGURE 1A.3 Household Consumption

and Income

of Economics
Appendix
The slope of the line indicates whether the

relationship between the variables is positive or
negative.
The slope of the line is computed as follows:

of Economics
Appendix
An upward-sloping
line describes a
positive relationship
between X and Y.
A downward-sloping
line describes a
negative relationship
between X and Y.
FIGURE 1A.4 A Curve with (a) Positive Slope and (b) Negative Slope

of Economics
Appendix
FIGURE 1A.5 Changing Slopes Along Curves


of Economics
Appendix
FIGURE 1A.6 National Income and Consumption


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PART I INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS

Fernando & Yvonn Quijano

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

PART I INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS

The Scope and Method

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE SCOPE AND METHOD OF ECONOMICS

economics The study of how

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

Three fundamental concepts:

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

opportunity cost The best

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

marginalism The process of

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

efficient market A market

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

Industrial Revolution The

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

The events of September 11,

An understanding of economics is essential to an understanding of global affairs.

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS?

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE SCOPE OF ECONOMICS

microeconomics The branch of economics

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE SCOPE OF ECONOMICS

How much steel

Price of medical care

Wages in the auto

Aggregate price level

Jobs in the steel

Total number of jobs

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

descriptive economics The

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

model A formal statement of a theory,

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

Maps are useful abstract

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

ceteris paribus, or all else equal A

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS

post hoc, ergo propter hoc Literally,

CHAPTER 1: The Scope and Method

THE METHOD OF ECONOMICS